Dear Supporters,
Usually, the first quarter of the year is a quiet one. Well, this year, it was anything but.
Convulsion is shaking our world, and we can only hope for all this to end soon. Our thoughts, as always, are with the victims.
Back in Venezuela…
On the 3rd of January, events unfolded rapidly and unexpectedly.
In the days that followed, Healing Venezuela was approached by a wide range of media in the UK. At moments like these, ensuring that the voices of patients and healthcare workers are heard matters more than ever.
While headlines come and go, our work continues, and this is a summary of what we have achieved since the beginning of the year.
In December last year, 30 out of 61 resident (junior) doctors we sponsored graduated from their training programme. Considering the challenging environment and a salary which barely covers basic needs — even with our support — these doctors’ dedication is admirable. They deserve to be wholeheartedly congratulated.
As we secured funds to renew the scholarships, during the first quarter, we continued supporting our ongoing beneficiaries and allocated the available spots to doctors who met the selection criteria and were proposed by the hospitals we work with. In Q1, 65 resident doctors attended approximately 33,000+ consultations across 7 hospitals in Venezuela.
Dr Cuamo is one of our grantees and his testimony clearly explains why this programme is so important.
“This scholarship has allowed me to continue my postgraduate studies without interruptions… It gives me the stability to fully focus on my training.”
— Dr. Johandry Cuamo
In 2026, the Point of Care Ultrasound Programme (POCUS) started at full speed.
The programme leader, Dr Kate Otto Chebly, has expanded her-top quality internal medicine training programme to 5 major hospitals, including: Hospital Vargas, Hospital Magallanes de Catia, Hospital Domingo Luciani, Hospital Perez Carreno and Hospital Militar.
In each hospital, 2 doctors are part of a “Train the Trainers” programme, to disseminate the new technology across state hospitals.
During this period, 585 patients were assessed by the trainees. In a resource-limited setting, this innovation has proven to be practical, immediate, and life-saving.
The testimony from one of our trainees couldn’t be more encouraging:
“POCUS has become almost a fifth pillar of the physical exam… And our patients feel the difference.”
— Dr. Andrés Rengifo
As the quality of water is poor in Venezuela, since 2019, we started to install potable water plants in hospitals. Of the three plants we installed, the first, in the children’s hospital JM de los Rios, has been refurbished by the Ministry of Health — a good sign of increasing autonomy in the public health sector. They are taking care of the maintenance.
This has allowed us to focus on the two remaining potable water plants in Vargas Hospital and Materno Infantil de Caricuao.
We recently carried out a quality test of the water, and it was absolutely apt for human consumption. With the extensions in the Materno Infantil de Caricuao, which included three special rooms and the nursery, in Q1 we produced an estimated 70,000+ litres of potable water, benefiting a minimum of 14,000 people.
Members of our board were interviewed on radio, TV, and in newspapers, including SKY News, The Guardian, The Times, LBC Radio and GB News.
Our approach was to emphasise what humanitarian work stands for: political independence, neutrality, impartiality, and, above all, the need to care for human life.
We also participated in an event with @GoLatinas, an initiative of successful Latina businesswomen to share our mission and join efforts to support women in the UK and in Venezuela.
Over the past ten years, Healing Venezuela’s success has been possible thanks to the generosity of thousands of people, the commitment of our board of trustees and our volunteers, but, above all, the tireless dedication of the healthcare professionals in Venezuela.
Humanitarianism provides a space where political differences disappear — an indispensable starting point to rebuild a country.
From afar, we will keep providing all the support we can to the dedicated and brave doctors, nurses, and healthcare staff in Venezuela.
We have a long way to go, so please, help us on our journey.